THE STORY THUS FAR ---- 5/11/06
Alright.. well ive always wanted a Vtec mini ever since i saw it in a miniworld Magazine so after about a year of drooling and my urge getting stronger i couldnt resist any more.
First thing i did was buy my 1/2 cut. Its a 1989 DA8 Honda Integra import model from Japan and has a B16A1 DOHC VTEC. Im not sure how many Klms it has done but ive been assured that it is ok... we shall see
Now i need a Mini to put it in.. i picked up this one for $250 and planned on using it for the conversion
<Photo pending>
I looked around on the Net for subframe kits for a while susing out which was the best value for money and came up with this altough it was still expensive to get. With me finishing my apprenticeship in this time and my boss giving me a work car i took the oppertunity to sell my well loved Mini so i could afford to buy the Subframe Kit.
This is the Kit
http://www.superfastminis.com/MT-BKIT.htm
Once sold and was extremely sad to see it go
i got on the fone and got the Subframe Kit on its way
Started stripping the shell in my spare time. I cut the front off because i had the intention of fitting a removable fibreglass one. I has quite a bit of rust in it..i was hoping that it would be ok to use still
Sent the shell to the sandblasters so i'd know for sure where every speck of rust is.. it only took 1/2 an hour for him to tell me to take it to the scrap metal yard.. so i need a new shell to start with
nearly 6 months after ordering the Kit and alot of stuffing around i get a letter in the mail from the shipping company saying my Kit is in port. Im all excited untill i find out the costs invovled of getting it off the port and thru customs
but i wear the huge costs and move on. Its at home now and everythings there ready for me to use it
good shell is found and bought and sent to sandblasters
whilst im waiting for the shell my mate gave me a briliant idea and said why dont we just do a dummy fit of everything to the brown shell.. so i cut it up and its sitting here waiting for me to do somehting with at the moment. i did a quick fit of the subframe for the photo but will get into it very soon i hope
all the rest of the mini is on the trailer waiting to be taken away
So thats where im up to at this stage. This all happened over a period of 1&1/2 years so im getting there ever sooo slowely
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Vincent Files ---- Latest Update 13/6/07
sorry its been a long time since ive updated.. the project got put on hold for a while because i got my hands on a convertible mini that needed sum TLC and due to the lack of having a mini i couldnt resist
FIREFLY
well... due to the new shell i had to resubmit my Application for Modification Approval form with the new VIN on it...
i put it in with a few more mods i want to do to Vincent (his name) on the form this time
ive since recieved it back with the go ahead bar 1 thing they wont let me do... A Hydraulic Handbrake.. but that will go on after sshhhhh
So i called my engineer today and soon to have the ball rolling in reguards to the shell and mofiying it for my needs
Heres a few pics of me taking the motor out of the halfcut
this is currently how the project is sitting at the moment waiting for me to have some more time to get to it
My brother got some new mags for his nissan silvia
17"x8" on the front and 17"x9" on the rear... u recon i can make them fit???
The Saga Continues!! 28/1/09
Following my purchase of a house in sept 08 ive finally got room to do some more work!
A few pics of how it is now..
motor is basically mounted in the frame, engine is nearly wired up(correctly i hope), fuel system is having issues due to crappy fuel pump.. and for that i still havent got it started..
and my ECU has had water in it and is giving me errors!
29/1/09
Managed to get the vtec running on just 1 cylinder last night.. then another fored up so ive got 2 cylinders now..
ive decided to take my ecu to the right people to get it repaired and while thats off i'll clean up my fuel injection system because i think ive got a couple blocked injectors which is why im not getting fuel in 3 and 4
but the good news is that it starts! and runs a bit!.. and backfires huge flames!!!
Since last post ive had my ECU fixed, My injectors cleaned, a few bits and pieces blasted (thanks andy). Ive painted up those little bits, put my injectors in and plugged in my ecu... aaaaaand
IT RUNS!!!!! on all 4 CYL like a dreeeem
my rocker cover is now ORANGE and looks soooo hot!!!
now im up to the bit of getting the motor mounted into the frame correctly. ive been doing some reasearch on different honda engines and transmissions and found that the easiest way for me to get my motor seated properly is to use a hydro g/box... mine is cable type... so thats easy i'll just buy a new box and swap it
EXPENSIVE!!!! cheapest i can get a hydro box for is $1500
oh well i'll bight the bullet and keep going ...
so next is to get this new box and put it on and mount up properly.. i'll try post a few pics and things too maybe a vid or something..
Cheerio
12/3/09
now that ive got the motor running nicely its time to get it into the subframe correctly.. and after some research ive found that the best way is to use a hydraulic gearbox instead of a cable... so i got myself a hydro box now.. tried to fit it and found that the clutches are different between the 2 types of gearboxes.. so now for a new clutch too!!!
oh well... the trials go on
so im getting myself a heavy duty clutch and spring.. thought about lightening the flywheel too but i dont think i'll bennefit anymore from that..
so my motor is in pieces again now
but on the bright side im now building up the subframe while i wait for the new clutch
some pictures of the stage im now at..
the old gearbox sitting on the ground
motor with gearbox removed
13/3/09
Another update today..
i Droped off my flywheel, clutch and pressure plate today to find out they are all stuffed to the buggery
flywheel has cracks in it that cant be machined out. Pressure plate is stuffed because the clutch is worn right down passed the buttons.. sooo
time for more new stuff!!! i gotta work a lil bit harder now.. even harder when the baby comes!!
Claeten
31/3/09
still waiting on everything
8/4/09
Looky what i have now
Chrome Molly Lightened flywheel
Ceramic Button Clutch
Heavy Duty Spring
to go with my new gearbox. These arent exactly what i wanted but they will do nicely none the less
Also been working a bit building up the front subframe now too while i was waiting. Only got the bottom arms on it now but i cleaned the dust off it
Had a go at massaging the inlet manifold aswell grinding off my Fast idle valve which is in the way and apparently i dont need it sooo off it goes... now just to weld up the remaining holes
going to pick up the last of the brackets i need soon.. so i'll have everything to mount it into the frame and into the car now
oh... also bought an Ali Rad but waiting for that one to come still too though
Claeten
The progress now...
Got all my brackets i need now so its in the subframe
Also got the inlet manifold finished and bolted back on.. havent been able to marry up the frame to the shell yet to see if its going to fit ok.. MOKO mini is in the way
gotta get that finished and out of the shed..
Heres a few more pics.. i like pics
